Mardi Gras, YAL Style

For those of you that do not know, Mardi Gras is a yearly tradition in New Orleans. The city transforms into a utopia of revelry which spans for more than three weeks. Naturally as THE University of New Orleans, our campus reflects this fact. Our classes end for 3 days as the city shuts down so all can let loose and enjoy the paradise that is New Orleans. Before we depart to take part in the merriment that New Orleans has to offer, UNO throws its own Mardi Gras parade. The "Krewe of Blue" as it is called, got a YAL float for the first time this year!

All of the different student clubs, teams and organizations decorate cars, trucks and trailers to put on the parade. I volunteered my car to serve as our official YAL float. We decorated the car with our banner plastered across the back window and strategic messaging across the window. The graphics particularly appeal to our liberal leaning campus while remembering that we are in a red state that supports the right to bear arms even in the most liberal of places.

We chose these decorations specifically to maximize our recruitment appeal. We thought this would be the most opportune time to maximize our recruitment efforts. Carrying on with our recruitment theme, we designed our throws (what we would be throwing to the parade goers) with this in mind.We threw out the traditional Mardi Gras beads and a custom made YAL recruitment packet.

The recruitment packet contained a pocket Constitution, the 10 reasons to join YAL palm card, the Left vs Right palm card, a YAL sticker and an End the Fed doubloon. We made contact stickers with our email address, Facebook page and group and placed them dead on front. These packets were particularly popular with the crowd, much more than the beads.

All and all the parade was a huge success! It took place on Feb. 6th and we have already had over 20 inquiries with a few committed to join. For only throwing out 100 packets, a success rate of 20% is definitely something to be excited about. Indeed, we are poised for growth and the sky is the limit. Look out for great things to be happening in New Orleans.

And do not forget, as we say in the Big Easy: Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Cajun French for "Let the good times roll!")